The host yesterday afternoon was very sweet and polite! Great costumer service! I am just very disappointed with my food, The healthy burrito was not what I usually get the chicken was so hard and tasted old the burrito had no flavor I usually get guacamole or sour cream with it it got no guacamole the inside was very plain no flavor , rice was very watery . My burrito was broken apart it was not a burrito I couldn't even eat it as much as I tried. My sons chicken kids meal was horrible chicken was very dry! And just tasted old. Very disappointed read more

La Morenita - Healthy burrito - Mexican Near Me - Modesto, California

Great food and ambiance. Always enjoy their food and service. They make their customers feel welcome.

I've been going to this place for decades and unfortunately had a really bad experience today. I know the covid situation has created all sorts of stress and frustration but when I called to order dinner for my daughters birthday (I live out of town) the person I spoke with told me I couldn't use a credit card. I understand that this is a decision that is difficult for businesses to have to make but when I hesitated trying to figure out how to handle buying my daughter a nice dinner from a distance the person on the phone became impatient with me. I requested that the order go ahead as planned anyway but the person taking the order didn't seem to have paid attention. I said a second time to go ahead with the order then was told I was being rude. I really don't have the energy to deal with that sort of thing. This was what my daughter had requested for her birthday but I don't think I'll go out of my way for this ever again. I was contacted by the manager after the original post, I was accused of using "vulgar language" with the person on the phone. I can state without reservation that this was not the case. I can only assume that blaming patrons who speak out is the way they try to hide poor service. I'm really upset by this truly unfortunate turn of events. I may be many things but I'm not a liar! read more

Waited 30 plus minutes for food finally I had to flag someone down . Once they brought us our food absolutely NO ONE checked on us during the entire time . My son needed a refill never got one since no one came to check on us . Food was bland , and when we finally finished our food I had to flag someone down AGAIN in order to get our check . What a joke , needless to say we will never come back . read more

Best pomegranate margarita on the rocks ever. Great salasa and guacamole! I recommend the chicken and shrimp fajitas and the jalapeno poppers are like no ever read more

I placed a to-go order for a burrito and this is what I got. It looks like a kid's meal, definitely not enough food for an adult. Very disappointed. read more

La Morenita - Mexican Near Me - Modesto, California

The BEST Mexican restaurant I have EVER been to. I have been coming here for years and have yet to find anything better than this. You won't be disappointed! read more

So just came in around 415 today. We were seated by the hostess in the bar area and then sat for over 15 minutes without a single server approaching us, even though there were several available, including one manager looking guy. The hostess did get us chips and water, but the servers clearly had no interest in serving us. read more

I have been coming to this restaurant for 15 years. I've always had amazing service and the food is on point every single time. Tonight I came in with my daughters and husband. My husband and I ordered a plate to share and my kid ordered a burger with fruit on the side. The quality of the food on the kids menu is so good! My picky eater ate everything on her plate. The portions of the regular menu are generous. They were incredibly busy and were doing their best to keep the quality while knowing some customers were getting impatient. I did see a few people come in for to go orders that weren't please with their wait. And even though a couple of those people were pissed, the staff handled it very well. Tip: get anything with the wedding sauce. It's incredible! read more

Service sucks do not recommend because me and my mom were waiting for our food for more than 1 hour and a half! Like cmon man hurry tf up

Took my wife for our 45th Anniv dinner here , we haven't been here for awhile. I ordered fish (cod) tacos the place was busy , lots of people finishing there meal . We got our plates after about fifteen minutes, my wife got great carnitas salad that she really liked . My tacos looked good but when I took my first bite the two corn tortillas were cold . They looked like they just took them out of plastic bag without warming on the hot grill . After my bite the tortilla fell apart like a tortilla falls apart when it's not heated on the grill . That is why it's suppose to be heated so it doesn't fall apart when you bite into it. So when you order your next fish tacos make the tortillas are heated on the grill. Come on people you make these all day , don't be so lazy heat they on the Grill!!! Very disappointed, I won't be ordering tacos here , ever . Go to San Jose Taqueria just down the street on Coffee Rd . The Best for Tacos!!! read more

My husband and I absolutely love this place! We love all the workers and enjoy their company as we eat! My personal favorite is enchiladas or Diablo chicken have yet to be disappointed!! AND COORS LIGHT ON TAP thank you guys for your hard work during a covid-19. It's not easy and cannot please everyone, but we are pleased! read more

The Mexican food is excellent!!!! Have ordered many times. Portion sizes on to-go ordered are great. Will be going back for sure!! Highly recommend. read more

Menu and food have changed. Not good anymore. Gave it three more tries and won't be back. Too bad.

I ordered carnitas and my sister a Chile relleno. We originally came for the potato/beef tacos but was told they are short staffed and so they don't offer those right now. No biggie. I was brought something that resembled chili Colorado. It taste ok but I asked if this was the carnitas and I was told that this is how the cook makes them from her hometown. I was offered a new plate but I was limited on time so I declined. The waitress seemed understanding and apologetic. The relleno was hard and undercooked. This is the 1st time I've ever seen someone actually need a knife to cut it. The food was very lackluster and not flavorful. I have been coming to this restaurant since I was a kid so I was expecting at least the beans to taste familiar but no such luck. The tortillas were a bit stale like they had been warmed up an hour or two earlier. The highlight was the actual salsa. Nothing is worse than paying $40 on subpar food. The waitress was so nice and friendly but we did have to wait a bit to get a napkin and she asked if we wanted more chips then never came back. So disappointed in this place I will not come back. The atmosphere is nice and it was clean, I didn't use the restroom so I can't speak on that. I did unfortunately hear the waitress making sideways comments about the cook's experience so I think they are aware. read more

After waiting over an hour for our food we were finally served our "food". They ran out of Spanish rice so they served us plain white rice. When we asked about the rice the waitress stated that they ran out of Spanish rice so they just gave us white rice. There was three pieces of meat on the chili Colorado plate and the beans were extremely dry. Not acceptable at all! read more

We placed an order over the phone (third time "eating out" in the last month) and it was ready for pickup as promised. When we got home to eat, the food was both hot and tasty. We ordered three meals, so each came with rice, beans, chips, and salsa. I did not see the breakdown on the receipt though to verify whether there are added charges for takeout packaging as another reviewer mentioned. I can't imagine these costs are added when there is a trade-off in not paying employees to serve and clean up after one dining in, and especially if not using a food delivery service to cut into the profits. When we order again, I will update this review to reflect the findings. read more

I am writing this to thank the La Morenita staff for the wonderful food they provided for my daughter's wedding yesterday. Every detail of that order was executed beautifully . The food was delicious and we all enjoyed it very much. The manager and the staff were so accommodating, had everything ready to go for us, and were extremely reasonable. We so appreciated it! Hugs and many thanks to T, Yeci, and the whole crew for all the assistance!!!! read more

I want to start off by saying that I have been a loyal customer of La Morenita for many years. In the past their entrees have always been creative and of the highest quality. Unfortunately, I believe this restaurant chain has gotten lazy and is now just surviving on the past history that its founder Lupe Cordova established through her passion to provide her customers with excellent food quality. My recent visits to this establishment over the last few years have been less than stellar with the food being mediocre at best and in some cases it being absolutely terrible. On one of our visits my grandson (he loves Chorizo and eggs) ordered a Chorizo and egg platter and we were surprised when he ended up biting into a 1inch bolt. Naturally the stewardess and cook were apologetic about it but told us that they had problems with the Chorizo vendor supplying the sausage with bolts in it. My question to them was if that was true then why didn't the cook notice a bolt that big while cooking the sausage to combine with the eggs? I never received a response to my question, except an apology with assurances that it wouldn't happen again. Hoping that previous bad experiences were not the norm, the wife and I decided to visit La Morenita again today. We sat at the bar like we usually do when visiting this place and we ordered the following entrees. I ordered Menudo ( I recalled their Menudo being very good) and she ordered a chicken torta. The Menudo came hot this time, in previous visits the Menudo has always come cold and had to be sent back to reheat. Unfortunately, the tripe was extremely tough. It had either been overcooked or had been sitting for days and was microwaved before being served. I took two bites but couldn't bring myself to eat it since it was not only cooked poorly but also the soup tasted like it had chili powder dumped into it before being microwaved. Needless to say the meal could not be eaten. I sent back the Menudo and the hostess offered me a replacement meal. I ordered a two carnitas tacos with rice and refried beans and unfortunately that plate wasn't that much better. the refried beans and rice were cold, as if the cook hadn't microwaved it long enough. The rice was mushy and as if it had been refrigerated for some time. The refried beans were extremely cold. My wife's platter wasn't much better. The chicken filet in her torta was extremely tough and the torta just smothered with lettuce and many of the other condiments as if to just mask the taste of the chicken. needless to say we didn't finish our meals and just sent the meals back eating only a couple of bites and asking them to take the rest away. The staff realized that we were upset with the quality of our meals and asked us what was wrong. After telling them how bad the meals were and how we had come to expect better quality from this establishment, we left and are probably never going back. Being Mexican, I have a tendency to really be highly critical of Mexican food due to the fact that my wife, mom and mother in law are great cooks. But I do realize that cooking styles differ from various regions of Mexico, so a dish that is made one way in the Northern Mexico may be made totally differently depending on the region it is from. And for that reason I don't usually measure Mexican restaurants cuisine against home cooked cuisine. I am however highly critical when it comes to food quality, so for example; Chile Verde may not be quite like mom used to make but I do expect it to be fresh not reheated and of the highest quality. As much as I really hate saying this due to the fact that I have been a long time La Morenita customer, I don't expect to be going back there again. In an area with a greater than 35% Mexican population there are many selections available and if La Morenita doesn't focus on food quality than I expect they will lose many customers. read more

This place used to be excellent but in the past few years has gone to hell. Service just ok and good not nearly as good. I don't expect it to last much longer. read more

Delicious food and amazing service. The prices are reasonable and the food authentic. The place is always clean and everyone is so friendly. read more

This is our favorite neighborhood restaurant with free parking and an excellent staff. T, the owner often talks to customers and makes everyone feel welcome. We especially like their salsa and combination plates. read more

Wow. let me tell you about the absolute WORST dining experience of my life! I have eaten at La Morenita in the past, as I have lived in Modesto my whole life. The food is pretty good, and the service was okay as far as I can remember. But last week, my friends and I...about 14 of us and a few of their children, went there for one of our friends birthdays. She (the birthday girl) had made reservations earlier in the morning for 6:30 that evening. When I arrived, most of our party was already seated. After about 45 minutes of waiting, and seeing our server only one time, she finally came to take our order, Mind you, we didn't even order appetizers. She was pleasant...at first. After about an hour, we were all wondering where our food was. It was a busy night, no doubt due to it being graduation time for lots of area schools but, there was no excuse for the series of events that took place after we started questioning the length of our wait. First, let me say that 9 of the 14 people at our table were either servers in the restaurant industry themselves or management or former management for a restaurant (myself included). So, we all sympathize with servers and the hard work, and good jobs they do...when they do good jobs that is...and I darn well tip 20% plus when it calls for it. The first thing our server said to us (with instant bad attitude) was, well as you can see you're not my only table. In other words, the hour we waited for our food that still hadn't arrived didn't matter because we weren't her priority. No apology or a "It will be right out" etc.. That was the last time we even saw her (Until our final complaint at the end of the night). About 15 minutes later food finally started coming out.........one......bowl.....one....plate.....one piece at a time. All delivered by one petite young girl. All we could do was say "seriously? you are the only one delivering food to our table of 14 people?" I mean, we felt really bad for her. Our server didn't bring us one single thing, she had someone else do it! By the third complaint, she flat out told us to NEVER come back!! She never bothered with an apology, just excuse, after excuse, after excuse and rude comments. After that comment from her, my Friends husband (also a server) made them call the owner at home. We left NO TIPS and got 20% off our total. I really left a lot out of the experience in this review but, let it be known, I have never witnessed such blatant BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE in my life at a restaurant, and I worked in food service for 8 years and managed a restaurant for 5 years of them, so I know what GOOD customer service is. La Morenita doesn't have it anymore, and they lost 14 customers (plus everyone we tell) in one night! I gave them one star for their Mango margaritas. That is all they have going for them anymore. read more

I'm not exactly sure of how, but I do know of a few reviews that have been deleted from this establishment. There was an incident that happened last month where we witnessed one of the servers reserving salsa from another table. She was walking back toward the kitchen, and instead of entering the kitchen with the empty chip basket and used salsas, she poured the remaining of one of the salsas into a salsa that she later served to a new table. I used to come here often, but after we witnessed this, I will never go back. The server did not look around to see if anyone was watching so I'm sure she does this often and has not been told anything about it. I think this is something that the public needs to know about which is why I'm posting this review. Reusing food is a public health issue and I would NEVER come back to this place. read more

I finally made it to this one. Some people love it and some hate it. Me, I don't really care about the ones who give a good place 1 star just just because they didn't like the service or because they think they could do a better job. Terrible attitude. Well the decor is superb . Exactly what I like. The service was great for a Friday night. We entered with about 20 people ahead of us waiting for tables. The hostess said it would be 16 to 20 minutes. I kept time on that one and in exactly 18 minutes we were seated. The staff was definitely humping to serve everyone. I've never seen food come out of a kitchen so fast. Must have had Speedy Gonzalez in the kitchen. Our food was perfect. My carnitas were the best I have ever tasted her fish tacos were excellent. Could the service have been better??? Of Course it could have been if God would have been there. But he wasn't just some great overworked girls and guys doing a great job. Like I said, my first time there and it wont be the last. Love those carnitas. read more

Just wanted to say that I went there On Mother's day and today I ordered out and both times food is spot on! Today, I asked them to help me order something for my 19 year old grandson and T hit the Jackpot! (thank you T, he said it's his fav!) Prompt, wonderful food, great service! Highly recommend! (and I'm a picky one!) read more

I love me some good Mexican food!!! I have a special place in my heart for La Morenita. I've been coming here for years with family and friends and I'm NEVER disappointed. The burrito supreme is a menu favorite and it does not fail to wow me every time I shovel a forkful of its contents in to my mouth. I order it near every time. The rice is literally perfection, so fluffy, light and flavorful. The shredded chicken is moist. The beans are, well they're beans, how much more exceptional can they be. It's all wrapped in this huge tortilla and topped with a delicious red sauce and sour cream. I wish I had one sitting in front of me right now! That and a mango margie. If you live in Modesto or are passing though, this is a MUST try. Modesto doesn't have too many gems so don't miss out!! read more

Do you miss severe gas pains and spending the better part of the afternoon/evening on the toilet?! If so, you're in luck my friend. Head on over to La Mo and order the Wedding Chicken Burrito and let the games begin! The burrito tasted good! Fresh, hot, smothered in "wedding sauce" - whatever the hell that is. However, had I known I would be held captive in the bathroom for the remainder of my day, I probably would have just stuck with the beer. Don't say I didn't warn you. read more

Never again! The good - We were seated promptly, and served chips and salsa right away, and the waitress was friendly. The bad - my date and I sat and watched as people who walked in after us ordered, were served and finished eating before we even got a taste of our food. When the food finally did come we were too angry to even try to enjoy it. read more

Decided to change things up. We usually go to La Casuelas on Dale. Won't make this mistake again! Can I just say that the service was incredibly bad! We waited 15 minutes for our beer, 45 minutes for our food. We ordered fajitas which were cold, tough and tasteless. I asked several times when our food would be ready. I mean, it's Mexican food. It's always quick! I asked to speak to a manager twice. She finally showed up...with an attitude. I just needed to vent but when she had a smirk on her face the entire conversation, I was done. Paid for our beer and left. Will NOT be returning! read more

How do you say food poisoning in Spanish? What started as a quick lunch with my friend while car shopping in Modesto today became an experience... I pick the restaurant based off the Yelp reviews and was sadly led astray by my fellow Yelpers. I ordered the traditional enchilada with beef and red sauce. When it came out I noticed right away that the entire meal must have come from a can. The sauce tasted like the same sauce I buy at Safeway, the rice was mushy and the beef was like eating a flavored eraser. Glad I are a lot of chips a salsa before hand. On the plus side, the staff was great and attentive, but really the owners should try to get food that doesn't alway come in a box or can to serve to customers. My margarita was basically Jose Cuervo pre made margarita mix too.... read more

OH MY!!! The manager Brityn B sent me a harassing comment for speaking my truth here on YELP. I let her know that a true owner uses yelp to remedy the situation with a customer...not to pick fights with them. She then sent me another disrespectful message and then get this...blocked me after she sent the nasty message. I have no clue as to why this manager would behave this way, i fortunately do not know her personally, but I think it has something to do with her self entitlement silver spoon issue (her grandma is THE la Morenita). But As I said before...go to any other la Morenita (they are great) just NOT this one on coffee road. Please. Don't support Disgusting behavior such as manager/owner Brityn B. PS she wrote a book length negative review on Topoli Motors..hmm I wonder if the manager there harassed her about it? Lol read more

A shitty management decision turned what had been a good time into a memorable freaking drag of an experience. I peddled 3 miles from my normal route to try and get a repeat experience I had at La Morenita once upon a time. All went fine, until it didn't. I ordered a half salad and was charged the full price. The waitress didn't seem to understand my issue (likely the reason I got the full sized item), so she got the manager. The manager loudly and in a condescending tone, as if speaking to a child, said, "You didn't know you were served a full sized salad?" Nope, I sure didn't. I told her that I had a plate full of lettuce with what looked like a reasonable amount of other ingredients for a half. She was sticking to her assumption that I was trying to stiff the place for 4 bucks, so my retorts got louder as she kept at me. Eventually she said she would knock off $2. I told her that was a bad idea and that I was paying for half, and that's what I did. I exchanged looks and chuckles with some of the other patrons and left. So far the restaurant police haven't found my ass. read more

I called and ask if they could fax me a copy of the menu so that I can order to go. The girl who answered the phone didn't even know if the place had a fax machine. Finally she checked and yes they do have a fax so she will fax me a copy in "just a few minutes." The fax never came. I know fax machines are becoming more obsolete but this wouldn't have been an issue if the damn restaurant would just post their menu online. Wait...if they would just have a working website. That would be even better. Needless to say--I never ordered and never ate. If they have bad service and everything else is inconvenient you better believe that I'm taking my business elsewhere. Plenty of other places that make ordering convenient for me. Sorry la morenita maybe if you step it up I will think about trying to come back and eat your food. read more

I made horrible mistake of coming here for lunch Friday 5/15/15! I ordered a chicken salad and used salsa for dressing. Later Friday night I felt achy and sick then non stop VIOLENT vomiting continued for four days now. NEVER AGAIN. On a side note. Thanks for the food poisoning weight loss of 10 pounds!! read more

This is our family favorite! Great service and consistently good food. It feels like home. read more

Quick lunch after a work meeting in Modesto. *Points-One of my co-workers fave Mexican joints within walking distance of our Mdso office *Points-Rice and Beans very good *Points-Chicken Taco, unadulterated, crispy fried non greasy shell filled with white meat chicken, salsa and lettuce and cheese-that's it! *minus points-didn't know what to order right away so had to wait another 15 minutes before waiter made his way back to our table(every table was full & he did acknowledge us as he ran by *minus points-salsa-from a can or bottle-ugh *points-the meal as a whole very good So, a 4 star average. That's pretty darn good in my book; I'd come back. read more

La Morenita is Fantastic! A local took me for dinner while traveling and I must tell you my experince here was remember able. Right off the bat I noticed they had soup of the day ~ Posole or Albondigas! They also had Caldo de Rez and Menudo served on other days. They also have a very good selection of wine and beers. Restaurant~ very spacious and clean. Not a whole lot of Mexican decor, but you can tell your dinning somewhere south of the border. It is very easy to find and most locals know about this place, so just ask someone about them if your traveling through this area. Service~ everyone was very friendly. They are attentive to meet you're needs and they are eager to make recommendations if you need help. Food~ this is what makes La Morenita 5 stars! The chips and salsa are very good ~ fresh and tasty. I recommend you try their Como lo Quieres ~ you can choose three combos. This is a great sampling and you get to pick and choose your fav's. It comes with your choice of beans and rice on the side. I chose their grilled fish tacos, chili relleno, and their Seafood enchilada with shrimp. All three items were delicious and some of the best I've eaten!! This is a HUGE portion, so you may want to share with a friend if you're not at hungry. My friend had a humungous burro with Chile Verde and chicken with this wedding sauce poured all over it. It's a local fav~ tasty and remember able. This is a place you'll remember and start planning your next trip before you pay your bill. read more

Definitely one of the stand out Mexican restaurants in town and always consistent. They lean more towards the authentic side so if you're a gringo who doesn't know what real mexican food is, you may not enjoy it. Granted they do cater the food to be Americanized by toning the spices down but just tell them how you want it done and they'll do it for you. Service waffles from excellent to good depending upon how busy they are. This once was an unfound treasure but now that the word is out it can get crazy busy, especially on the weekends. Pricing is on the higher side for Mexican food but still worth it. Great for the whole family. read more

Decided to give this place another try since the last time I came I had a bad experience. We came in yesterday afternoon around 2:30! Completely different service from the last time! We were seated right away & our busboy brought chips salsa & asked for our drinks right away! Loved it! He gave us amazing service! I had a carne con chile burrito & it was delicious! My fiancé had a 2 combination plate! He liked it as well! Only disappointing thing was my michelada! It was mostly all beer & a tiny splash of Clamato! I had to ask for a small side of just the Clamato! Other than that everything was great! Happy i tried this place again read more